Romance, a Likely Story
by clockwork starlight
Summary: [RonxHermione] for my favorite nolongerblonde. Because she is spiffy. Tale the First: Bookwyrm. A belated birthday gift and a rather large misunderstanding.


For Sarah, because she is my sunshine, daisies and shiny pieces of tin foil. Is a thank you gift!

Don't own Harry Potter... I'd have the rights stolen from me faster than you can say 'hocus pocus'.

I love you Sarah. Hermione's birthday was the 19th. A little late doing, but eh.

* * *

Bookwyrm

"For me?" Hermione looked shocked and surprised, an unusual expression for her.

"Sorry it's a bit late… I had some trouble… getting it." For some reason that escaped Hermione, Ron looked highly uncomfortable, like certain memories were leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

"Thank you." She began carefully picking at the edges of the Spellotape that held the wrapping paper.

"Wha… you're opening it now?" Ron looked like the possibility she would even care staggered him.

"Well of course, silly. Why wouldn't I?"

Suddenly the dust motes dancing in the muted light seeping through the Library window became absolutely fascinating to the standing Gryffindor prefect. Each of them seemed to be mocking him. What _had_ been thinking? A book was hardly going to be the start of a happy and healthy relationship. He could have saved himself a week of turning into an assortment of small animals if he had just been able to think of something to give her that _wasn't_ a copy of _'Hogwarts, a History'_. Something that would convey his feelings about her much better than some musty old book that he had to get his brothers to acquire for him.

"Ronald Weasley, what the hell do you think I am?" The Artic winds had to be warmer than that quietly menacing voice.

"I… thought you'd like it?" He offered weakly. "It's kind of customary to give gifts on birthdays, right? I mean, do Muggles not…"

"The fact that Madame Pince is an exceedingly sharp and frightening woman is the only thing keeping me from taking this book and beating you to death with it." The fury in those gorgeous brown eyes and the tinge of red seeping across her face was distracting him from the memories of her decking Malfoy, and the solid assurance that she was bound to know more Hexes than was probably healthy.

"I'm sorry! If I had known getting you _Hogwarts, a History_ was going to offend you, I wouldn't have!" He cringed.

It was amazing how quickly such a tall, gangly boy like Ron could shrink in on himself like a wilting flower. It was kind of cute. But that didn't excuse the fact that he had given her… Wait a minute.

"This isn't_Hogwarts: a History_ Ron." She snapped coldly.

"I-It's not? But Fred and George said they'd…" Realization dawned and was heralded by Wrath. "I'm going to kill them. Dammit, I wanted to get you the perfect birthday present, and now…" He was shrinking again, but it wasn't nearly so gratifying this time.

"You wanted to get me _Hogwarts, a History_ for my birthday?" She asked, placing a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to soothe him, and forget about what book he _had_ given her, however mistakenly. "But I have it."

"It was _supposed_ to be the newest edition, with a foreword by Bathilda Bagshot." He muttered distractedly.

"You'd have gotten it for me?" She was touched, and it didn't lessen how red her face was. He was an idiot, but at least he was a _caring_ idiot.

"I tried to…" He said, still very put out that he hadn't actually. "What did they give you?" he finally remembered that it was because she hadn't gotten the book he thought he'd given that she'd gone very angry witch on him.

"Umm…" Hermione quickly decided Ron didn't need to know, and made to hide the book. "It doesn't really matter, I mean, I've already ordered _Hogwarts, a History_ and one can never have too many books so…"

Unfortunately for Hermione Ron played Quidditch and thus had a fairly good response time and he possessed longer limbs than she (which had been sources of distraction on several occasions). All of which meant she failed to keep him from getting the book and flipping through the first few pages. The book would have hit the floor when Ron dropped it in horror, but Hermione quickly caught it. Hermione knew for a fact that any book making contact with the floor was a sure way to have Madame Pince within two shelves and more than ready to spit poison.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry, I'll kill them, I swear, I just—"

Ron was also kind of cute when he was sputtering like a faulty kettle, she decided.

"Ron. Shut up and kiss the birthday girl." If it hadn't been for the words, Ron would have sworn she was answering one of McGonagall's simpler questions. She sounded so sure of herself that it made him worry.

"I- you- what?"

"Page 73 looked kind of interesting, actually…" Hermione looked thoughtfully at him, tapping her finger against a mouth curved in a tempting smile.

* * *

Wizarding copy of the Kama Sutra: 1 Galleon, 5 Sickles and 14 Knuts

Helping your little brother with his love life: medical assistance standing by while one 'laughs his ass off'

Putting the 'R' back in the Restricted Section: Priceless


End file.
